


A Trouble in Heaps

by Ryjoebob



Category: Princess Remedy in a World of Hurt
Genre: Coping, F/F, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, My First Fanfic, Writing Exercise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:48:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26577838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ryjoebob/pseuds/Ryjoebob
Summary: When the prodigy herself isn't as perfect as she seems, what will become of her? In this story, Princess Remedy is subjected to not only the results of her actions, but to things she cannot merely 'heal away'. How will she handle these situations, and how will she change or stay the same? An exploration of the post-game events and what becomes of Remedy, with less anchoring on canon than usual.This story is written from Remmy's PoV, thoughts included.
Relationships: Remedy/Frallan, Remedy/Original Character
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. Memory Lane

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction on Ao3, and a long time coming, too! It's taken me years to get to this point, let alone have the nerve to actually post something of mine that isn't just a self-indulgent mess.
> 
> This story isn't meant to be 100% accurate, due to a wide variety of reasons, one of which being that Remedy is a silent protagonist, and my writing favors going crazy on singular ideas... But I tried my best to keep things consistent and within reason.
> 
> Chapters will come as they come. I have no predictions when I'll be in the mood to write this stuff, or if the AI cooperates with me... So there's a distinct chance this fic will be stopped for long chunks of time, or it might burst update all at once!
> 
> Brought to you by AIDungeon, Princess Remedy, Ludosity, and personal issues given form. Please play Princess Remedy, the first game is free on Steam.
> 
> With that out of the way, please enjoy this many-piece story as it comes along.

_You are the esteemed Princess Remedy, a recent graduate of the Saturnian College of Healing and prodigy in your own right! If there's anything that needs healing, you're on the case. From as simple as a stubbed toe even to the ultimate task of healing heartbreak, you're up to the task!_

_A great deal of time ago, you were the one who descended from the stars in order to combat the blanket of cases that sprung up all around Hurtland. You didn't discriminate even a little while you were on the job, curing everyone you could, provided they were willing to accept your help. The cases ranged from choking, melting skin, and death... To more mild things like not smelling bad, pretending to be a rock, and identity crisis. But the most severe case of all belonged to the prince of the land. He had everything in great severity, ranging from physical injury to mental affliction. And to top it off, he had something even you couldn't combat easily; he had been influenced by a certain someone whose words haunt you to this day. He was spoken to by That Guy. Though he was merely a bean person, he spoke words that shook your very resolve and made you question your entire purpose. He made you question why you chose to heal people, arguing that "Pain is what makes us who we are. It drives us to change and adapt, to survive and become better as a result. To deny us suffering is to deny us the right to change as people and learn! Your healing is not needed!"_

_It sends shivers up your spine to imagine it, but you almost stopped there. You almost lost your powers of healing in that moment. You almost gave in to the idea that your healing did more bad than good for everyone you met, and abandoned what you had spent your short life working with._

_Almost._

_You mustered up a response, though. One you originally hadn't pondered, but a response and reason for why you choose to heal others._

_Of course people make mistakes. Of course they get hurt because they did something dumb or didn't consider everything, there's no way around what happened before. There is only the now and the future to look forward to and improve yourself. The past is an essential part of the learning process, but when your life has come to a standstill and you can't bother to learn because all you see is this injury? This condition holding you down? What's the point in learning if you'll have weeks, months, or years to wait before you'll ever get a chance to learn again?_

_You choose to heal so people can have their second chance now, while their memories of these events are fresh. You choose to heal people because, without you, they could waste the rest of their lives suffering instead of taking action to help others learn and be safe from such harmful actions and events. You choose to fight in the belief that, given the opportunity, people will make choices that benefit and guide others, promoting learning and evolution through each other._

_. . . you still aren't sure where it all came from, but it came from you in the end, and you managed to cure everyone in Hurtland that day, even despite the challenges to your very purpose._

_. . ._

You're still here, though. You're here and now, in the present day... After all has been said and done, you're still Princess Remedy, the girl who healed Hurtland. 

* * *

The last time you were in Hurtland, things were much simpler. You remember all sorts of little adventures you had, like the Dark Lord! He was all torn apart and in shambles, his head being the only thing still moving and talking... You managed to put him back together in a jiffy, after a bit of difficulty. He even thanked you for your help, offering you a spot in his army!

. . . You don't ask why you chose to heal him in the first place. You just saw someone hurt and suffering for it, and you went in to do what you do best. Taking your eyes off the lair, you decide to check in on Burning Town...

It's a blazing inferno, just like the name suggests. A large pyre with demons wandering around it. You can see a few lesser ghosts flying around it, but they do nothing to quell the flames.

. . . it's still the same old same old town. It's more surprising that the houses are still burning, and neither got put out or burnt away. It's actually pretty impressive they kept it going. Not to mention the fact that you yourself got into one of said burning homes to help fix a demon's leg, and let them resume basking in the heat like nothing was wrong.

  
You turn your head in the general direction of the dark castle, gazing into the distance in contemplation. Should you go visit? It's been a while since you've seen him.

. . .

Maybe you'll check on some other places nearby, first. You haven't seen the Jungle Village in a hot minute, and you're curious to see if any of the locals got an odd bout of malaria for you to cure... If the mosquitos ever became an issue again.

A short journey across the plains ensues, your steps light and bouncy as you speed across them, almost flying without much effort. It's really quite something that you're still so floaty, despite being capable of maintaining a personal gravity in space. Maybe it's just a natural Saturnian capability?

Arriving, you see the various locals, not too displeased with their lives. You even see Malary, the giant mosquito chilling out on a lily pad, watching the world around her.  
Seeing you, she lifts her head up in greeting, giving a small honk. You wave back at her, smiling softly.  
. . . you remember healing these people, in unconventional ways sometimes, sure... But you did your best. One of the villagers complained that his mask was too big, and no one was going to take him seriously... So you made him a bit bigger by 'curing' his shortness. He was real happy after that.  
You give a nod to the rest of the villagers, as they wave back. One or two eye you with suspicion, but you let those looks sail by.  
They're probably just afraid something's happened and you got sent down to fix it again.

You head out and venture into the nearby woods, keen on investigating the flowers and animals you healed along the way. You take in the sights and scents, as you follow the flow of a nearby stream.  
You don't get too far, however, before you notice the spooky fog rolling in from the riverside.

Huh.

You take a bit to peer at the fog rolling in, before feeling the weather out. Was it going to rain? You look up, but the clouds above you were clear. Huh. Well, nothing wrong with fog, you supposed. It could be worse. It could be raining. Or sleeting.

You were just about to start heading back when you felt something was off. You didn't know what, but you could feel your heart beating a little faster, as if something had triggered it.

  
"Hey, is someone there?"

You call out to the forest greenery, looking around in confusion and mild fear. No one wanted to hurt you, right? I mean you heal heroes and villains alike! Even wild animals!

. . .

Well, not all of them, but you've never had any troubles with the local wildlife. You gave a few a second chance at life, in fact! You were on their side!

"Show yourself!"

Your command goes unanswered as you're left in silence. Just as you're about to head back, you see something move within the trees.  
You ready yourself, putting up your dukes in a mock stance as you bounce on the balls of your feet, ready to block or dodge whatever was coming. With a rustle and a thud, in hops a rabbit. It stares at you for a second, before turning to hop away...  
". . . phew."

You let out a sigh, dropping your guard and trying to compose yourself. Just a bunny. No need to be afraid, Remmy. The rabbit turns back to look at you, before hopping towards you. You slowly ready yourself to start moving, just in case... But it ends up hopping right up to you and starts sniffing you.

  
You squat down and offer your hand to the rabbit... It sniffed it, before nuzzling into your palm. You pet the rabbit slowly, as it closes it's eyes and begins to enjoy your company. It's a pleasant experience, petting the bunny. You're glad you stuck around for a bit and checked here. You were worried for nothing.

You feel a familiar chill just like before, running along your body as you pet the rabbit, and you know what you're about to hear... As much as you would rather you didn't.

  
"I'm sorry, Remmy."

You hear a voice call out to you, but you don't want to ruin this moment. You just want to keep petting the rabbit and pretend this isn't happening.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help you through this."

You take a deep breath, feeling a lump form in your throat as you try to speak. You can't ignore the voice, you need to respond...

"It's... okay... I understand why you couldn't come."

Your response is weak, but you manage to make it clear enough. You hear the voice give a small laugh.

"You don't sound sure about that."

You give a small smile, petting the rabbit as you did when you were younger and mom comforted you. It's not that different than it is now.

"It's the truth. I'm... just glad you're here now, even if it's just to talk..."

You let out a sigh moments after your final exchange, still petting the rabbit.

"...I miss you, mom."

* * *

You close your eyes, and take a deep breath. Time to head out.

You hop up, and give one more pet to the rabbit for good measure, before hopping on your way. You find a dirt road of sorts, intermittently marked with signposts that have aged too much to be of use, but that's okay, you know where you're going!

  
Next stop... Let's visit Prince Palsey. He was a real problem case, and not to mention a certain some asshole was involved... You hope you never have to see his smug ass again.

Where did THAT thought come from?

You shake it off and continue to walk down the path as the world begins to darken. Eventually, you come across a fork in the road.  
Uhhhh. Was it left or right? You actually forget... You see the Pyramid in the distance... But there's a lot more ground to cover before you can even see the castle...

"It's not really far. I should be able to walk the rest of the way."

You mutter to yourself, attempting to reassure and bolster your confidence in yourself. It doesn't quite work, as you're left wondering if you can chose right vs wrong.

You decide... Left. Let's go left. Surely nothing could go wrong...

As you walk down the path, you notice that the trees seem to be really far apart, almost as if they're planted that way. It's very dark now, and the full moon lights your way...

. . . you dont see the castle anywhere, even in the moonlight. Did you go the right way? Did you-

Your thoughts are interrupted as you see a familiar sight, but not the right one. You come across the black hole gate, something you've used before.

Maybe you can try the other path when daytime hits again. You open the black hole gate and step inside. Thankfully, it's nothing like a true black hole and it doesn't tear the entire solar system asunder by existing. No, this is merely a gateway into deep space... And you are much better at navigating the oddities of space compared to the lands.

* * *

You arrive on the other end of the black hole instantaneously, greeted by deep space blackness and paths of stardust, glimmering as you walk. A chime goes off in the distance, signalling someone just used the other black hole. Huh. Fancy that. People are still jumping around places using black holes.

The paths begin to twist and wind before you, seemingly forming a helix into infinity... Except in space. Thankfully, you're much more familiar with the conundrums of space and Non-Euclidean geometry than you are with traditional maps... Perks of being Saturnian you suppose. You manage to navigate to a point where you discover a familiar sight: an asteroid cowboy, piloting his space rock around like he owns the thing. He certainly isnt a pioneer of the technique, though.

You briefly wonder if he's one of the many outlaws who takes refuge out here. You've never actually had any dealings with an outlaw before, and you don't think anyone else has either.  
. . . you suppose that's part of the charm, not knowing how it'll go. Ah well. Not much you can do. He's streaking past you and sailing into the reaches of space without stopping to say hello. You continue on your way, reaching a crossroads in the path.  
. . . though there's no sign to point you, you THINK you know which way you want to go. You'll want to head straight down and loop under the path you're on to head to the greenhouses and gardens... The path dead ahead is a dead end, with only the Apathetic Frog... The path leading left and twisting around actually leads to the Saturnian College of Healing, despite it looking like it's a part of the right path.

  
You know the right path is correct, but you aren't sure if you want to go to school or the greenhouses. You do so enjoy talking to the flowers... Oooh, maybe you could go to the college, grab Frallan, and then head to the greenhouses. That could be a neat date idea. You've been itching for one of those!


	2. A Star in Someone's Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When something seems off, it's usually because it is. Have you noticed the major differences thus far, and what hasn't come up? Yeah. Let's just say this chapter is a strong reason you don't show your full hand at the start.
> 
> Contains implications of self-harm, talking someone out of hurting themselves, and someone we don't know.

Your girlfriend is more important right now. You've decided, and thus you're going to hit the school of healing first. If she's not hanging out on campus, she's probably not far. You take the left loop first, making sure to start it before you return and head along the right path, making your way to the campus of this glorious Saturnian College of Healing. Sure, the place was a bit small... But there's not exactly many Saturnians around these days... Let alone healers who can survive in and handle space. Still. Even with 12 desks at best, you're sure your teacher could easily handle just moving outside and gathering around the fountain to teach if there were too many students. Plus, there's life all around you to heal. You know the plants will always be in abundance, and it's not as if you're going to kill them all. Life is a good thing to master. Death is an unpleasant thing to have to deal with alongside rage, sorrow, suffering...

You shake your head, getting that jerk's words out of your mind. You're sure he was just trying to get to you. Pain and suffering can be mitigated, and people can be helped. Even when times are tough and things don't seem like they'll get better, they can.

You approach the main campus. The large main building is beautiful, and even from the outside you can see how much care and craftsmanship has gone into its construction and maintenance.

. . . Gotta love the lack of salt and corrosive agents in the lack of air in space. It means buildings last a lot longer without constant repair and check-ups.

You enter the building, and are greeted by a man with a kind face.

  
"Hey, Wash-Olof. You still showing off to the students you have?" You grin, greeting him.

  
"Wash-Olof?" He chuckles, amused. "My name's Wilfrid, actually. That's the name I use here at school."

You tilt your head.

". . . you hiding your true identity to not scare the students? To not make them realize they're studying under a celebrity?" You think aloud, and you get what he's going for with this approach.

"Not quite. I actually changed my name when I started working here. Just wanted a bit of anonymity so I could focus on teaching. What's your name?"

You grin, and point at yourself with both your thumbs, smug confidence oozing from you. "Princess Remedy. You remember me, don't you? Back with that fiasco in Hurtland? Everyone was suffering... And my first task after graduating was to help as many people as I could."

You recall the story as if it only happened yesterday... Though you realize it's been years since then. Wash- ... **Wigfrid** is caught off-guard by this and his surprise is clear.

  
"Rem... Remedy? You're **that** student? But, you're so young! And a girl!"

You chuckle, taking a lock of your hair between your fingers and playing with it. "I got a few secrets. Healing isnt the only thing I'm talented in."

Your comment and smirk says a lot, but you're really just lucky you got the 'eternal youth' gene in you. You'll stay young-looking for a long while.

"Hey, why don't you join us for class today? We can chat afterwards if you want." Wigfrid suggests, his excitement very much apparent at the idea of a 'hero' being in class. You kind of like the idea too.

  
You nod in acceptance and agreement to this whole plan. "Sure thing. Thanks for the offer." 

And just like that, you're allowed to stick around. Maybe this'll be good for you.

  
You approach the large auditorium-classroom, taking a seat in the front row. You pull out your tablet, playing a game to while away the time while you wait for the students to show up. Its some kind of odd game you got back in hurtland with their more hodge podge reception. It's remarkably addictive, despite it's premise. You're an adventurer seeking loot and glory, and you have to 'defeat' enemies to get there, growing stronger as you go. You've played it so much that its beginning to rub off on your speech just a tiny bit.

You hear the door open, and look to see your 'classmate' enter. You quickly pocket your tablet.

"Hey there!" You greet the first person walking in, a healer girl with straight hair and some less than cheery look on her face. Still, she has a small smile on her face seeing someone else here, acknowledging she came in. She sits down next to you, and the lights dim as the professor enters. He begins his lesson promptly, going over the essentials of triage, what to identify in order to decide who needs attention first and foremost.

Only one student? Wow... There's... Not a whole lot of healers left. Despite feeling proud of your accomplishment of graduating, seeing only one person to attend lessons... It got your chest a bit achey.

It's only then you realize how old you're getting. Twenty five years. That's how old you are now. Time flies...

And suddenly, it all becomes clear to you now more than ever. You're not doing this for yourself. You're doing this for the next generation. For the children. For your future patients. For anyone who needs your help, really. You have to fight for their right to life. You won't stop fighting until the day you die. You WILL heal. You WILL save lives. You WILL ease their suffering and dull their pains. You will do your duty not only as a healer, but as a Princess. And there's nothing That Guy can do to stop you and your belief in that.

  
The professor finishes his lesson, and you and your classmate take a walk through the patient ward. You've already introduced yourself, so now you're taking this chance to get to know her better. Her name is Robin, and she's in the same class as Frallan was... So she's only a year behind where you were! Wait. That means she's behind, Frallan graduated a year ago and started her own journey... Robin here is still going through some of the non-magic stuff.

  
"So... You didn't graduate with my class. What were you up to?"

You ask gently, trying to pry a little. She stares at her feet upon hearing this question.

"I was... having some trouble."

She says this, but she's much better than you at taking notes. You watched her take notes during class!

". . . couldn't get the magic flowing?" You inquire, starting with the basics.

  
"Well... That's not it."

  
"What about medical school?"  
She seems to be getting increasingly uncomfortable. It's a little odd, but you push on.

  
"Didn't pass that either? I mean, you're here now, so I can only assume you passed..." Your line of questioning is interrupted by Robin chiming in.

  
"No, I passed that with flying colors." She remarks with a nervous laugh.

  
"Then what's the problem? Surely you're talented and hard working... You've got the magic power, the knowledge... Is something else wrong?" You keep pressing, trying to get an answer out of her.

  
"I'm just... not a healer." She finally admits, looking back down at her feet.

"What?" You blurt out, stopping in your tracks.

"I'm just not a healer... I can't help people..." She repeats, sniffling a bit.

You reach out to her with your right hand and grab her shoulder, turning her to face you. Her eyes are bloodshot, as if she's been crying. You realize that she has, and for a moment, you just stare into her purple eyes.

"You... Can't heal people?" You're a bit stunned to find this out. But how did she manage to get in? This is a school all about healing and magic. If she can use magic and passed med school, surely she has what it takes to succeed here... Right?

"I'm really sorry." She says, turning around and walking off. You stand in place for a moment in disbelief. Then, you quickly follow her.

"Hey, hold on!" You call out to her. "What are you even doing here then? How did you pass if you can't heal people?" You demand answers.

She's quick to answer, probably because she doesn't want to be near you.  
"I have powerful magic... I can hurt people and break bones with it." She explains, making her getaway.

"But why? Why would you want your magic to do that? You can shape it to your will!" You counter, still intent on hearing her answer. She tries to lose you, ducking into a supply closet and holding it shut while you're left outside. You try opening the door to no avail, and you're stuck out here.

"Hey! What are you thinking? You'll be stuck in there if you don't come out!" You stand outside, about to open the door when you hear her sobbing... No, whimpering.

"Go away..." She manages to say, between her tears. You sigh and lean against the wall. You weren't really expecting this, but you understand her situation... Somewhat. 

Magic... It's a very subjective and fickle thing. To become a healer isn't the easiest thing. You have to focus all your efforts on giving positivity and health to others. . . and during some castings, it can take the health from you. It's like those adventure games, where you have a health bar. Healing sometimes takes a chunk of your own to work... If you're really good, you can still make it work, but for those that aren't... They have to give too much. Often leaving them out of commission and unable to heal without risking their lives.

. . . but since healing magic is about selflessless and giving... Hurting magic is the opposite, about taking or removing, as well as a selfishness or loathing... A big ball of negative emotions that gets nastier the more the magic is used. In the right hands, it can be managed, but in the wrong hands... you get someone who is a ticking time bomb, someone who could very easily fly off the handle and end up doing something very regrettable. It's why healing magic isn't the easiest to learn, or at least master. There's a slippery slope of magic lying on the other end if you can't maintain a positive outlook. It almost happened to you, too. You almost fell into a harmful magic state.

. . . and that's what you're dealing with here. You're dealing with someone who has some severe negativity and some hostility... Someone who lost their ability to heal with their growing negativity. But who could she not like? It can't be you, she just met you... Plus this has existed before you met her.

Can't be the teacher... Wash-Olof... **Wilfrid** is an excellent teacher, and he didn't even need his student to use magic in today's lesson... So he hasn't forced her discomfort on that matter. Sure, she could possibly not like the students for not existing... But magic wouldn't manifest so concretely in that case. It would wind up being a kind of 'social curse' kind of magic... Like a disease with odd effects. This is just direct harm, as well as the very nature of what you're seeing, leads you to believe one thing remains. You think the magic springs from the fact that she doesn't like herself.

. . .and that. . .

. . . you're growing more concerned by the moment. Sure, she's away from any implements of destruction, outside a mop and some errant pieces of paper or such. . . but she has herself, and her magic at her disposal, and the thought begins to frighten you. If you were to walk in there now, and tell her to stop... What's to say she would? What's stopping her from turning her magic on you, or holding herself hostage? You begin to grow nervous thinking about the possibilities that might come up.

  
No.

No, she wouldn't do any of that. Despite what her magic is capable of, she wouldn't just blast you. She wouldn't just threaten herself willy-nilly over one person asking too many questions. She's a good kid, for what it's worth. She still believes in some of what this school has taught her... She still believes kindness can help anyone.

  
You decide... Perhaps it's best you start talking to her, through the door.

". . . hey, you alright in there?"

You hear a bit of surprise on the other side, inside the closet.

"Uh... Yeah. I'm fine!" You can hear the shake in her voice. She's very much not fine right now.

". . . I'm sorry I rushed you earlier... And brought up some bad topics. I didn't realize what was going on before." You apologize as best you can, for starters.

"It's fine... Just a bit of a shock, that's all."

"... Are you sure you're okay?"

There's a moment of silence.

"Yes, I'm fine..." She manages her response. "Just give me a moment..."

You sigh, and wait patiently outside the closet. You hope that you can convince her to leave... Though, you aren't certain if you're more concerned for her well being, or your own.

"Alright..." She begins, her voice returning to normal, "It's safe to come in... I'm fine, really."

"Are you sure? You don't need to talk more, if you don't want to."

"Nah, I'm good. Honestly, it all just caught me off guard. I really didn't expect myself to act like that." She confesses, seemingly back to how she was before.

". . . alright. I'm coming in. Sorry if I do something stupid..." You admit, taking a blow to one of your more sensitive bits of ego.

You know you don't always have the right answer, or sometimes a good answer. But you need an answer here. You slowly open the door... Laying your gaze upon the student... And seeing her sitting in the corner, knees to her chest and hugging them. She looks up at you with those pretty purple eyes... Eyes that are no longer displaying the same amount of fear and shock. You slowly approach and sit down not too far from her, merely being there with her in the confines of this closet is enough. You don't really know what to say.

"... Why did you stay?" She asks, breaking the silence.

". . . would you believe me if I said I was trying to figure this all out? My brain doesn't run that fast, it has no legs." You give yourself a playful bit if self-depreciation, knocking on your head like you're testing for hollowness. She giggles a little, giving you a small smile.

"I want to help you... But I don't think I can. I don't even know if I can figure out this whole mess myself." You reluctantly spill your knowledge and confidence in this matter to her.

"Help... Me?" She seems a bit surprised by this notion. Why would she be, though? Isn't it part of what was taught; to help others in any way you can?

"Yeah. Help you. Help you in a way I never got help. It's something I can change now, at least." Your voice grows quieter until your closetmate speaks up again.

". . . but you're Remedy, aren't you the healing prodigy who saved Hurtland?" She inquires, not quite understanding. "What could you need help with?"

". . . I'm a 'prodigy', someone who was 'perfect' at healing in every way... Except long term I suppose. No one really taught me to think ahead on that matter." You begin opening up, yourself. Perhaps if she hears something about you, she'll be inclined to talk about herself in turn. "The problem with being a prodigy, is that there are a lot of expectations put on you. If you mess up, it's not a mistake, it's a failure in your entire being. And a lot of people laugh and point out what things I did wrong..." You slump a bit, looking away. ". . . people who never took the time to explain what I did wrong, or why I did it wrong... Or just thought I knew everything about healing because I was a prodigy." Your grumbling is getting off topic now, thoughts shifting from issues with healing to people who were issues. "And some people REALLY love poking holes in my belief, and putting me through the wringer during a healing trial." You grumble, reminded of That Guy once again... Robin puts a hand on your shoulder, with a sympathetic look in her eyes.

"I'm sorry you have to deal with all that..." You sigh and look her in the eyes as you respond.

You sigh, body heavy with out-of-place negativity. "You're not missing out on terribly much, not being a healer... You're maybe missing out on a title and having other people's hurt beating you up. But there's something important for you to know from all my rambling..." You get yourself buckled in for this next part of your speech.

"Nobody's perfect, even people who seem perfect aren't actually perfect. I might have saved Hurtland all those years ago, but now... I bet most of what I did just threw everything out of whack. People are probably afraid of my healing, seeing as most of what I did either hid the problem or drastically changed the issue... Or healed someone who plans to hurt people again." . . . you're kind of bumming yourself out, here. You need a diversion.

". . . so what about you? You mentioned your magic had a more concrete and visceral effect than most... But you were kind enough to make it in here despite that... So you didn't plan to pull an evil overlord and use your magic to usurp thrones and hurt heroes, right?" You are reminded of the evil overlord you healed before... And his minion. Both of them were definitely bad apples.

"Oh no, I'd never want to do that! I would never hurt anyone! . . . unless..." She trails off, not quite finishing that thought aloud.

". . . Unless?" You press, curious why she would consider ANYONE worth hurting... Though you have an idea who you yourself might 'direct' some towards if you ever find him again. 

"Nevermind..." She says, looking away. "I shouldn't have said anything. I have to go, it's getting dark out and father will be worried." She gets on her feet and starts to leave the room.

"Hey. Don't worry... I'm here to listen. After all, I already told you something I... Would much rather no one bring up anymore." You reach out and take hold of her shoulder, less forcefully than before.

". . . could you please tell me about your life? After all... It has to have something pretty nasty if your magic is like this... And besides, the first rule of Saturnian Healing dictates if you want to help someone, they have to let you help them. Consent and information are critical... If you want to feel better."

She looks at you, looking back and forth between your eyes for a few moments... And you see a flicker of sadness and remorse in them. Then, she closes her eyes and sighs. She steps forward, hugs you and rests her head on your chest.

"I'll... have to decline right now. Thank you, though... For everything." She says. You hug her back, gently. You hold her in this hug for a while, warm and safe for the moment. You do have another offer to make her, though.

". . . can you promise that we'll see each other again and talk?" You propose amid the hug.

"Of course!" She says, much more cheerful than before. "I'll see you again! I promise."

You believe her, but in the back of your mind... you hope she's going to be willing to open up next time. All you got was a connection about imperfection, a concern about her possible self-hatered, and the very real risk she might think harming herself is a good idea. It would be a lie to say this was a good note to leave her on, but... She's going to come back and see you. She's going to talk to you again... That's good enough for now. You'll see her again. You let go of the hug, and with your arms still outstretched you gently push her away. She smiles as she steps back.

"Take care. Maybe next time we can do something together?" You suggest, pitching the idea as a sort of 'day out' deal.

"I'd like that." She says, returning the smile.

"Great. I'll see you again soon, then." You finalize your plans with Robin on the spot. She nods in agreement with this plan, then begins to turn back and head out the door.

. . . you place a hand to your chest and sigh, letting out a breath you didn't know you were holding. G-damn. You didn't really expect that to get so heavy. Ah, well. At least she didn't think you were being a bully about this. You'll deal with this in the morning, when your head isn't pounding like a bass drum.


	3. Bare Bones Essentials and Decorations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One's room can say a lot about them, and what one does in their spare time can shape them to be who they are today.

You find yourself in your deep space apartment of sorts. It's less of an interstellar apartment, more of a place you kind of earned after the nonsense of your long-passed adventure. No one else really has the keys to this place anyways, and it has teleporter access to various parts of Hurtland and deep space! It's also great that you don't have to pay rent, but the drawback is that it's just a bit cramped in here and there isn't much wall space yet. You've been trying to fix that and expand the place bit by bit, though.

As you step out of the way of the now open teleporter, you hear a knock on the door. Who'd be knocking at this hour, in this part of deep space, you wonder. Deciding to solve this mystery, you up and walk over to the door.

"Who's there?" You ask, as you open the door.  
"Clerk." The voice on the other side of the door says. "I'm just bringing you a package."  
"Ah! Thank you. Not sure how you keep finding this place, but thank you!" You sashay your hips and whip out a pen, signing for the package and claiming your latest of many deliveries. Time to get to work on setting up your new additions!  
You set the box on your table, the only thing that was here at first, and slowly open the box. If you're lucky, this'll be a deep box with reality-bending magic on it to shrink stuff down. Or, it could just be empty. A riddle, perhaps? Or, worst case... Another set of shrunken people?  
That shrunken people incident was weird. You prefer to not remember it. Luckily for you, it's a box of holding after all! You can see your Lava Lamp, your pillows, an extra chair, and even some of your stuff from the castle! Nice!  
You get to work decorating your inter-dimensional hovel of sorts. Your bed gets a new set of pillows, your table gets a chair, but you're missing an end table for your lava lamp and bed... Not to mention enough room for a kitchen and more rooms... But no harm in continuing to eat out until you get those things! . . . right?

. . . you really need to hurry up and make a proper kitchen. This stuff isn't great. You can try sneaking in a meal at the school cafeteria, however small it is, and Frallan has access to a full kitchen at least... But you really need to get fast food out of your diet. You feel like you're slowly loosing the bare minimum human in you.  
You grab a pen and some paper, to make a list of what you need. Hopefully the fast food places deliver out here...  
. . . and if not, you have a teleporter into inhabited deep space AND Hurtland, so you can jump there too.

You definitely need to eat healthy again, soon.

* * *

  
You sit there in the cold during your post-dinner slump, staring at your slightly less barren room and wondering what you can do to make it feel less like a tomb.  
. . . with a few draped curtains, you could cover up those swirling teleporters and color up the room. Maybe hang a painting here and there? A rug could help too. You could use that wall space for something else too, if you find anything that fits the bill.  
. . . trouble is, you'll need to find this stuff or buy it... And you're not exactly rolling in dough after graduating... Even if you don't pay rent on a place you just kinda claimed. Maybe some of your 'friends' in Hurtland can help? You remember a few places that had stuff that wasn't too important. You hope they're still around and still have junk they're willing to part with.

You have some ideas on where to start looking and what to look for once you get back to Hurtland.  
Your first option is hitting up the Dark Lord's castle and humbly requesting something to fondly remember him by, like a banner or standard...

Another option is checking for some of the empty houses in the area and seeing what things people no longer need. Dumpster diving of sorts.

Third option, head back to Saturn Castle and ask your mom, the queen, if you can have a banner or two from your room, decorate your new place with a touch of home and such.  
. . . oh wait.  
. . . Yeah no, option 3 is probably not a great idea, but it's something you won't have too much issue doing anymore. After all, there's not much left keeping you from taking what you need... If anything is left.  
  
You decide it might be time to head back to the castle, at least for a bit. If nothing else, you can just grab a few banners, as well as your stuff, and come back here.

* * *

When you arrive, the gate's still open... And nobody seems to be guarding it. You're guessing the guards on patrol haven't returned or something.

"Huh. Guess I got lucky again. No questioning before I enter." You mutter to yourself.

You step inside and make your way to the castle proper, with no issues.  
". . . did a party happen without me? Am I missing an event?" You wonder aloud, feeling a creeping negativity in your gut. It's telling you things you don't want to believe at all, like 'everyone is celebrating you getting out of their hair forever'. Just shake it off, Remmy...

As you make your way through the castle, you notice there are a lot of skeletons walking around, cleaning, dusting, and otherwise looking about the place.  
". . . didn't hear about any pact between us and the Dark Lord. I'll have to ask him about this later." You muse to yourself, waving to these new servants and occupants to the castle.

As you make your way through the halls, you do hear several clapping noises. You turn to see who's applauding you.

It's none other than the Dark Lord himself, still dressed head to toe in his black armor.  
"Ah! Good to see you're well, sir!" You kick in your 'royal politeness' voice as you speak up. "I take it you've given these talks some serious thought, if you've managed to convince the kingdom's overseers." You comment, eyeing how freely he is allowed to roam the castle grounds.  
"Indeed! They were impressed with your... Zealotry. As well as my changed self of course." The Dark Lord replies, emphasizing the word zealotry. "I just wish my Wolves could've been here to see this day, they'd have wanted to see it very much." He adds with a sigh, a faraway look in his eyes.  
". . . there was something I was hoping I could ask you, my lord... For a bit of context, I've left the castle and begun living elsewhere. I'm dreadfully underprepared at the moment, though. I'm lacking decoration and utilities at this point in time, as well as the space to place them... I was hoping I could request a banner or two from you, or perhaps one of your standards to decorate my home? It would certainly elevate the bare look of the place..." You say, trying to be as respectful as possible.  
"Hmm, yes. That is indeed a problem. I take it you have some sort of home that you're trying to defend from intruders?"  
"It's location is enough defense against most intruders... Being remote and only accessible by a restricted teleporter." Not completely true, but true enough... "But I was hoping to have something that would both commemorate the union of the Dark forces and the Saturnian Royalty. Something to fondly remember you by."  
The Dark Lord smiles at your honesty.  
"Well then, we have a problem, but not for long! I shall have a special gift made for you! Keep your location a secret, and I shall send it to you. No one will intrude on you for a year!" He promises.  
"That... Thank you, my lord." You finish, cutting any snide remarks and concerns short for yourself and your safety. Can't say something dumb in front of the Dark Lord himself. How is he going to send it to you if he doesn't know where you live, though?  
"Yes, well. Welcome to the family. We hope you find your new abode to your liking." The Dark Lord finishes.  
"I hope to, thank you again." You bow, exchanging farewells with him before making your way towards what was formerly your bedroom.

  
Your room is... Dreadfully bare as of late. It's missing various bits and important pieces, and a large chunk of what's left doesn't quite cover every part of the room any more. You're more concerned about a few mild things, though. You amble over towards your desk, a popular spot at one point now lacking its chair. You open a drawer, and rifle through the stuff inside, hoping to find something particular  
"Ah, here it is!" you smile, finding the envelope you were hunting.  
Taking it out, you briefly look at the dozens of pages it contains before sliding it into your robes. You haven't the faintest idea what it contains in detail, but you have an idea what's in it; heartfelt letters from a time long passed.  
You... You think you'll keep these on hand. Never hurts to have this for a really bad day.  
. . . You check your former room a bit more, carefully peel a poster or two off the walls and pack them away into your box of holding, then step out. The Dark Lord waves you over.  
You approach him, having finished your limited business in what was your room while you lived here.

  
"Yes, my lord?" You take your respectful and polite tone with the Dark Lord...  
The Dark Lord smiles at you before shaking his head. "Always so serious. Your girlfriend will be a good influence on you."  
"Of course. But you wanted me for something?" Why else would he be waving you over, after all?  
"My dear girl, you're overwrought with worry. Here, take a relax." He hands you a small glass tube of blue liquid, no more than an ounce or two in volume.  
". . . don't you mean 'take a moment to relax'?" You question his choice of grammar, examining this shot of potion with curiosity.  
"No. I specifically asked for you to take that. On three, drink it."  
"What?" Just drink a random potion that was given to you?  
"Drink it. On three. One. Two. Three." The pressure is on, he gave you the signal...  
You pop the top and down the substance, obedient to a fault. The blue liquid enters your system... And you feel a wave of warmth wash over you, starting from your stomach and moving up.  
"Oh my!" Feeling that burst of warmth inside you, you can't help but smile a bit. That felt good... really good.  
"Exactly. That was a Lightning Resistance Potion, and you know what that does, my dear?" The Dark Lord pop quizzes you on the spot, as if you could fail this question...  
"It reduces the effect of negative emotions?" And you failed with flying colors.  
The disbelief and stun on his expression, even through his helmet, are clear as day. "... Yes?"  
"Thank you. I needed that." You reply, ignorant to what this lightning resistance actually did for you and using placebo magic to put it towards what actually ailed you.  
"You're welcome." The Dark Lord nods to you. "You are dismissed, princess."  
You nod in return and try to find the queen, your mother...

  
oh wait.

  
She isn't around.

. . . You decide to take a few banners for the road and head back 'home'.

\--------------------  
You whip out the posters you snagged, the ones you distinctly recall liking a bunch. 

There's one for 'The Fantastic Wash-Olof', before he started hiding his status to become a teacher. 

The other poster is a Healing School poster, one of the recruitment drive posters you snagged before entering... You were so proud of being not just a princess, but a healing prodigy too...  
You slap one on the wall just next to your bed, the heal school one. It's always important to remember the reasons you became a healer...

The Wash-Olof one gets slapped somewhere else, not far away. He was so cool, and he still is, you suppose.  
. . . You just need a place for a lava lamp, some of your junk, and a place to hide your mementos. You lift the mattress of your bed a bit and slide the envelope under there. Not too far, but not sticking out the side. You'll come back to it at some point.  
  
You decide the Saturnian Banners can be hung up in front of the 'Deep Space' teleporter, covering up the swirly lights it offers to the room and giving you a more pleasant, non-obtrusive coloring.

There we go. Now this place looks better. Not by much, but better. A little decoration can do your room some good, and it reminds you of your roots. Let's go with that. You attempt to sit back and chill for a bit, maybe sneak some sleep in before tomorrow comes full force, but it isn't meant to be. You get another rapping at your door. You groan and get up to answer the door... And surprise surprise! It's a skeletal courier bearing a rolled-up cloth! 

"Oh dang, that was fast!" Your comment goes by without returned commentary, as the courier merely hands you your delivery. You accept this gift and offer the bony bud some of your change... Or try to. They refuse your attempted payment, tip their hat to you, and venture back out into wherever deep space goes. On the bright side, you got free stuff, you suppose.

You could spend a bit more time decorating, you suppose...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that's all I have saved up for now! If you're hoping for a fresh chapter, you'll probably be waiting a while for me to create it! Thank you for sticking around and reading, though. It means quite a bit to see that people wanted to read about what I pull out of nowhere!


	4. Bittersweet Chocolate, Bittersweet Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A turbulent princess finds herself lost in thought, reminiscing about events long passed and stories that were never told outside a small ring of people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bet you didn't think you would see this continue, huh? Well guess what, I love Princess Remedy stuff. Enough that I will push past my fixations and write another chapter out of love, not anxiety or compulsion or guilt. I hope you enjoy this second round of emotional roller coaster. Round 3 comes eventually!

You find yourself half-awake, barely managing to crawl out of bed to answer your alarm as it shrieks out for your attention. Oh yeah, you had plans today. 

...

Oh no, you had plans today. You need to be up for these things. You manage to force yourself to your feet and dismiss your phone's alarm for the morning, then get yourself started on actually getting your morning rolling. First thing's first, you need coffee, and there's only one real way to get ahold of a coffee here: microwave and water with instant coffee. At least you had the forethought to install a functional device in your kitchen area... And not something important like an oven or stove or anything.

You still need to get on with getting those installed. Even if they run on magic, they're still a huge pain to install and resupply. Raw fire magic in a physical source isn't cheap and infinite after all. Your thoughts are interrupted by more shrill beeping, and you burst into the microwave to retrieve your boiling hot mug of water. With a a bit of instant coffee and stirring, you have your way-too-hot breakfast for now. Still kinda wish you had a coffee pot or coffee maker, but this works.

With your scalding drink ready, you still need something that's actual energy too, something that isn't temporary and short-lived. You check around a bit, hitting up your stashes of dry goods and packaged food to find the perfect way to start the morning. Unfortunately, there's no lumberjack breakfast. There is a protein bar snuggled in with your snacks, however. You decide this will do nicely for breakfast.

With your 'breakfast of champions' assembled for today, you get to stuffing your face and rousing yourself to full pep before you begin the big plans, you'll need all the energy you can muster without a caffeine overdose to handle today's ordeal... Energy, pep, and a friend's help, or more specifically a girlfriend's help. You navigate to the call app and scroll down a bit before you hit 'Frallan' in the registry... You hesitate for a bit, though. Unsure as to why, you hold off for a bit and finish your breakfast at least, then try again, this time you successfully dial her up.

* * *

_"Hello? Remmy?" The voice on the other end is very familiar, a soft and friendly tone like yours but without the pure energy backing them._

"Heya girlfriend~." your tone, however, has taken a rather interesting twist, your emphasis on 'girlfriend' really selling it. "You been lonely without me?"

_You get a bemused giggle from her end, and her tone shifts to match your lowered, flirty demeanour. "You know me, what I wouldn't give to have you here right now..."_

You recall you were dialing her up for a reason, though. You decide to cut things short on this train of thought, unfortunately. "Well, I'm hoping we can arrange something, I'm hoping I can call in a favor... And a date at the same time. Crazy, I know, but..." You hardly finish your thought before your partner in crime chimes in.

_"Oh? A favor AND a date? What are you up to, Remmy~?" It seems she hasn't caught on to the shift yet, you decide to make things clearer for her._

"Well, I... I need your help with someone. I met someone who is in serious need of help, preferably in the form of friendship and laughter. She's... also the last remaining student of the Saturnian College of Healing, as far as I can tell, so this is serious business."

_". . . oh." It seems she's caught on that this isn't about a fling and a fun time. ". . . so what's the issue? Is it really that bad if it's just friendship like you say?" . . . but not the severity. You sigh and work up the courage to admit a secret or two about Robin._

". . . you'll have to promise me you won't let this info slip, Frallan, please." You preface this bit with a warning and agreement promise. Hopefully she accepts. "Can you please not tell anyone, even her about you knowing this?"

_". . . I'll do my best. Lay it on me." Her response is resolute, but not absolute. You decide to spill these beans._

"Her name is Robin, she's about your age with long, straight hair and a rather gloomy aura about her. She wears the uniform proudly, no modifications at all. And she has... Enough negativity to have developed strong hurting magic. Despite this, it's never used to harm others, as she's stated... It seems Wash-Olof... W i g f r i d is aware of the issue about her not being able to heal, but not the nature of her magic itself. So while she can't heal, she's still allowed to study and take the tests without performing the healing trials." You sigh heavily and continue. "I... Also witnessed her at her worst and talked her out of hurting herself, and made a promise with her; I would take her out for fun today and give her reason to smile. I was hoping you would be willing to join me... Considering I forgot to ask you out yesterday. So, Frallan... Could you please go on a three-way date with me and Robin, even if it isn't much of a date in the end?" You finish, having run out of breath without noticing and finially catching it again.

_There's silence on the other end... Seconds pass, and you're getting very nervous before Frallan speaks up. "Remmy, that's called hanging out, not a date. And I'm up for it. Got a time and place?"_

"Not yet, I was hoping to meet up with you, grab Robin, and let her choose. If she doesn't, we can easily find a few good spots just in the area... And I know a spot or two in Hurtland that make great spots." You feel some kind of smugness..? Something, you're sure, you just know Hurtland has good places, and not many Saturnian healers head there besides you. "Sound good to you?"

_"Definitely. You know where to find me, it's where we met up last. Don't forget to say hello to the frog, and see you in a bit." Ah, she means there! You remember that spot quite well. The frog might not respond, but he's alright._

"Alright, see you soon!" You hang up and let out a heavy sigh. You aren't sure why that call made you so nervous, but... it did, and that's not right. You're perfectly healthy, surely nothing could be wrong here! You pocket your phone, stand up, do some quick stretches, then head out into populated deep space. You know just the place you need to be!

* * *

Your venture into familiar deep space is uneventful, and you make it past a stardust field into a secluded chunk of space, a cozy clearing of sorts that has but two important things. A green frog head with zero emotion or body just flosting in place, and the gateway to Frallan's place. You remember the time this place was extremely relevant, almost borderline important to existence... Okay no, that's too far. Still, it was incredibly important...

_It was amidst the calamity of Hurtland, everyone was ailing in ways they couldn't recover from. You had arrived on the scene to heal and remedy their problems, nearly wiping it all out before you discovered this place. You heard crying, distinct and clear yet distant. As you ventured further in, you found a large door with a heart upon it, sealed shut by an unknown force barring entry from the outside. A nearby Saturnian, Frallan's friend assumedly, mentioned a fact that wasn't immediately heard; she's been hearing something about chocolate from the other side of the door. You didn't have chocolate, and unfortunately could not pass..._

You snap out of your thoughts for a bit before saying hello to the aptly named 'Apathetic Frog'. He doesn't respond in any way. No surprises here. You advance and enter the secret location, the one you call... 'Frallan's Hideaway'.

_You had returned here later bearing a box of chocolates, not unlike ones used for showing how much you love someone. It even had a heart-shaped box to it too. When the girl on the other side of the door heard you say you'd come to offer them to her, she unlocked the door... And your heart sank. On the other side of the door was Frallan, in tears and curled up all by her lonesome. Her tears slowed when you approached, though. She knew what was going on..._

_"Oh, Remmy. I didn't expect to see you... But I should have known you would come, since I failed my duty..." You didn't know what she was on about, at first..._

_"I was the first healer sent down to cure Hurtland, but... What you did to me made me unable to complete my mission. Why, Remmy? Why did you break up with me!? Why did you break my heart!?" And the tears came back just as strong, her anger rightfully pointed at you._

_You didn't realise it at the time, but it had been lingering inside her all that time... Ever since you both were still students, her heart was still fragile. You healed her first and foremost, curing her upset stomach, supposedly, and not realising you were easing her heartache... Not realising you hadn't gotten rid of it, but merely hiding it away and putting forth a dangerous proposition instead. You were a fool to do it, but you asked her on a date during the boss tower incident, and she latched on to you as a new source of happiness..._

_And when the time came, you unwittingly broke her heart by recruiting someone else under the guise of a date, using the power of your new union to tackle what had been happening, and sent her on her way. You were an idiot to think that wouldn't have any consequences. Especially after you just up and went to prom without her!_

_Your gut had sank with your heart. You were fighting the urge to cry with her and profusely apologise... You were paralysed on the spot, and couldn't even move. And the only thing you could say was "I... I'm sorry, I didn't realise..."_

_Frallan's fury had simmered down a bit, but she was returning to a sorrowful state. She did say one thing of interest, though. "If you came to heal me, good luck. You just can't heal away some things. Since it's you, though... You're welcome to try, Remmy."_

_Her broken heart was bared to you, and it was up to you to heal it, if you even could. You had next to no experience with this stuff! When you began the healing trial, you were immediately bombarded with too much at once! Four targets, Heartbreak. Emotional pain, severely negative. Power, unknown. You were forced into the trial blind, and you were freaking out. Each lapse in concentration was a hit, and each hit was a severe one. Each shot landed on you drained you and imbued you with the very feeling Frallan was suffering from, sapping your ability to heal during the trial and severely distracting you._

_You still don't know how you pulled it off, but by the time you were through, you were unknowingly crying and struggling to keep steady. At which point, Frallan stood up and pulled you into a hug, helping you ease out of the residual feelings heartbreak you had shouldered for her._

_"Thank you, Remmy. I'm... I'm feeling a bit better, now. It's alright if you just want to be friends. We don't have to jump ahead. I can wait for you, if you ever feel like you want something more." She still hadn't completely let go of it, but she was willing to give it time, if you ever wanted to be her girlfriend..._

* * *

"Hey! Remmy! Snap out of it, girl!" You come back into reality with Frallan snapping, trying to get your attention. "Seriously, what was causing you to space out, just then? You don't usually do that." Frallan's concern was notable, but you brush it off.

"It's nothing, just caught myself remembering something far in the past, now. In full." You leave out the fact that you were remembering your second 'meeting' with her... But you slip into a hug. You have to remember this part.

You get a small laugh out of Frallan before she returns it. "Alright, alright! Don't have to be too focused on setting the mood yet, you know!" Your warm embrace is held for a time before you finally break the hug, a goal in mind.

"So, you ready to get this three way date going? It's my first time doing this kind of thing, so I hope you'll be able to keep me on track and focused!" You more so hope she will do it, rather than actually commanding her to do so. She's good like that, she can reign you in most times. After all, she kept you from trying to lick an electric eel that one time. If anything, she's got your back for this.

"Got it. Let's head out and find this gal of yours, then. I can't wait to meet her, make her a good friend, and maybe even get you two involved in something~." Her teasing tone makes it seem like she wants you two to pair up, but... Surely Frallan just wants you two to do the normal thing and get into trouble together. Yeah, that's got to be it.

"You got it, Frallan! Just you see!" You take hold of your girlfriend's wrist and, with an exchanged nod, you both head off to the Saturnian School of Healing to find Robin.


End file.
